On dissociation as a psychological phenomenon

Abstract

In this paper, the author discusses dissociation as a psychological phenomenon. First, from Jung's description of the case of Miss. E with hysterical delirium, the essence of dissociative disorders is extracted as the patient's futile attempts to compensate for her inner emptiness with something external. Second, the relationship between modern consciousness and dissociation is examined mainly from a review of Jung's discourses, and the author attempts to psychologically define the concept of dissociation. Third, variations on dissociative phenomena-from hysteria to multiple personality disorder-are reviewed by regarding psychoanalysis as a "vaccine therapy," with the history of the self-development of dissociation as a psychological "virus" mutating over time to produce new-generation viruses. Finally, the author critically reviews Putnam's research and discusses the psychotherapy of dissociative disorders from a Jungian viewpoint with some practical notes.